Improving research and education Internet infrastructure for tertiary institutions in Africa is a necessary condition for gaining an equal footing with their counterparts around the world. A solid information and communication infrastructure — that includes bandwidth comparable to that of Northern universities — could enhance the capacity of African universities to draw and retain its scholars. Notwithstanding the importance of stable political and economic contexts in African countries, improved ICTs and increased bandwidth to African universities could become more attractive places for Northern researchers and educators as well, reversing the flow of intellectual capital out of African universities and deepening the exchange of knowledge between North and South.